West Virginia (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) was all the rage of college football after its 70-63 win over Baylor a couple of weeks ago. And they still are after last Saturday’s 48-45 win at Texas. Geno Smith tossed four TDs in that win. It was just the type of win the Mountaineers needed to really stamp themselves as the favorite in the Big 12.

Florida’s 14-6 upset of LSU was its biggest win since Urban Meyer was roaming the sidelines for the Gators. Mike Gillislee (146 yards, 2 TDs) was all Florida (5-0, 4-0 SEC) had on offense. But he was all they needed thanks to LSU’s listless offense. The Tigers have been plagued by a lack of offense against good defenses.

There shouldn’t be much more Notre Dame (5-0) has to do to prove it is legit, especially after the 41-3 thrashing it put on Miami. The Fighing Irish are second nationally in scoring defense (7.8 ppg) and has limited four of its five opponents to 10 points or less. That includes a 13-6 win over Michigan two weeks ago. They’ll get a real test at home against Stanford on Saturday at 3:30.

We’re going to keep riding the Rutgers wave until they lose. The Scarlet Knights (5-0, 2-0 Big East) played lights out defense in their 19-3 win over Connecticut. It wasn’t the prettiest offensive show, but a win is a win. Jawan Jamison ran for 110 yards and continues to be an offensive stud for Rutgers.

No. 2 Oregon (6-0, 3-0 PAC-12), after a 52-21 drubbing of No. 23 Washington, took a major step toward establishing itself as the one legit challenger to Alabama’s supremacy….Oregon State is now 4-0 (3-0 PAC-12) and a legitimate contender…Penn State (4-2, 2-0 Big Ten) still hasn’t played the meat of its conference schedule, but is on a nice roll after upending No. 24 Northwestern, 39-28.

LOSERS

UCLA (4-2, 1-2 PAC-12) has lost its contender status after a 43-17 whipping at the hands of California. Those things happen when you turn the ball over six times. Bruins QB Brett Hundley tossed four interceptions.

Florida State (5-1, 2-1 ACC) looked like a real contender. Saturday’s 17-16 loss at unranked NC State all but killed the Seminoles national title hopes. The Seminoles did everything right early on is they took a 16-0 lead. But the Wolfpack scored 14 points in the fourth quarter and held FSU scoreless in the second half to get the win.

Georgia (5-1, 3-1 SEC) was looking like a national title contender until it got ripped, 35-7, by South Carolina. It was hard to watch the Bulldogs offense get bottled up by the Gamecocks, a program not known for its stifling defense. Bulldogs QB Aaron Murray was pedestrian, completing just 11 of 31 throws for 109 yards and one pick. Meanwhile, South Carolina racked up 230 yards on the ground and 162 yards through the air. Georgia’s freshman RB sensation Todd Gurley ran for just 39 yards on 13 carries.